BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 25677, 28 December 1945, Page 8

BOWLING

CHRISTMAS PAIRS SEMI-FINALS PLAYED Playing conditions were very unpleasant yesterday for the concluding rounds of the Dunedin Bowling Centre’s annual Christmas pairs competition, there being intermittent showers and a cold, gusty wind. The first round of post-section play took place in the morning, and the second round and semi-finals in the afternoon. In the circumstances, the St. Kilda green played well, though it was slow, and the wind added to the players’ difficulties. Some good contests were seen, however, and the semi-finals were two keenly-fought games. The semi-finals were won by C. K. Fay and J. Thomas, of the Otago Club, and D. A. Mitchell and W. Baxter, of Leith. It was arranged to play the final on the St. Kilda green this afternoon.

In the semi-final between Baxter and McLean, the latter led in the early stages, and a 4 on the tenth head made the score 10-G. But that was the Tainui pair’s last success, for four singles in succession brought Baxter level on the lat head, and he scored another single on the extra head to win 11-10. It was a game of long heads, with periods of very accurate bowling mixed with some that were not so accurate.

In the other semi-final, between Wilson (N.E.V.) and Thomas (Otago) , the Valley pair went ahead to establish a lead of 12-6. Consistent drawing by both Otago players gave them 8 points in two heads, and they led by 14-13 at the last head. Good bowling by all the players resulted in an extremely tightly-packed head, , and Wilson lay two shots when he and the opposing skip had their last howls to send down. Thomas’s bowl “ wicked ’’ off another bowl to lay shot by the narrowest of margins. Wilson’s last bowl made no change, the Otago pair winning.

Details of the afternoon play yesterday are as follows: — POST-SECTION PLAY,

Second llound.— J. Thomas (Otago) 17, L. J. Ireland (Kaituna) 6 ; Wilson (North-east Valley) 18, L. J. Edwards (Caledonian) 10; W. H. Baxter (Leith) 14, W. Purdie (St. Clair) 10; W McLean (Tainui) 13, A. Symonds (St. Clair) 12. Semi-finals. —Thomas 15, Wilson 13 ; Baxter 11, McLean 10.